Auto-Sleepers Nuevo Ek Plus review

The Nuevo EK Plus is built on the latest 2025 version of the Fiat Ducato large van platform. This long-serving vehicle gets its power from a 2.2-litre diesel engine outputting 140BHP and is mated to a relatively smooth automatic gearbox. Power sometimes lacks on steeper inclines, but it’s to be expected with a heavy vehicle. That the platform has been in service for so long means it’s the only element of the vehicle that feels slightly dated, and the low-tech cabin contrasts slightly with the fantastic presentation of the interior of the vehicle. However, it’s incredibly well-equipped for a base vehicle with a Sargent CAT6 and S7 Vehicle Tracker Pre-Installed, so long as you pay the annual subscription, to keep it safe. The vehicle’s smart exterior is set off nicely by the alloy wheels and tastefully understated branding and decals - the observant among you will have also noticed the colour-matching front bumper and door handles. The new Ducato features an integrated touch screen infotainment system with DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay and Android auto smartphone integration, and it’s all linked up to the steering wheel-mounted controls. You also get cruise control, air con, USB and Aux sockets, central locking for the cabin and main side door on the same key, tyre pressure sensors, and more. The best bit of the cabin, aside from all the tech and features above, are the excellent driver and passenger captain seats, which are very comfortable and nicely upholstered. So, while the Ducato is a long-serving platform, it’s a reliable one with a decent engine and underpinnings that provide a cost-effective platform to build the Nuevo’s excellent living space on.

From the outside to the inside, the Nuevo EK Plus is very well designed. The exterior is tasteful and relatively understated, with simple decals noting its name and brand. Inside, you get a luxurious blend of comfortable furniture with chrome fixtures and fittings, and colour coordinated curtains with tiebacks and scatter cushions. The removable interior carpets make cleaning and hoovering them very convenient after a weekend away. Almost every way you turn there are LED spotlights and roof lighting in all the right places. The living area opens up nicely, and with the swivelling cabin seats rotated to face the interior seating it feels like a generous living room. There are over-cab storage compartments to use alongside the huge number of overhead lockers throughout the vehicle. Our favourite compartment was the wardrobe, which could be filled with supplies and clothing very easily without the clothes getting creased up. The freestanding table was also very useful and sturdy for outdoor use, and we used the smaller integrated table to write up our review notes from the rotated driver’s seat. The kitchen looks great at the end of the vehicle near the main door, which can be left open in good weather while cooking thanks to the fly screen. The bathroom is also very tasteful with a toilet and shower included. It’s the epitome of a well designed vehicle, and Auto Sleepers deserves those awards. Enough said, check out the pictures.

Living in the Nuevo EK Plus is very easy for two people, in fact, it’s so good we found it easy for a family of three to live in. The skylights and double-glazed main windows are well placed so it always feels light and airy inside. Outside, the extending Thule roof-mounted canopy awning spans the whole length of the living space and creates excellent shade in the sun. All the usual sockets and connections on the outside feed the interior with power and water, and are easy to locate and connect. We particularly like the electric slide-out entrance step with auto retract on engine start, it’s way more convenient than some steps which have to be manually retracted. If you want a shower or need the loo, the combined shower and toilet compartment is great and offers as much room as you’d expect in a two-berth motorhome. The shower and other hot water outlets are fed from the water tank to the Truma CombiNeo water heater, which only takes three minutes to heat water for washing up and continually feeds water in separate compartments to offer an ‘endless ’ hot water supply. Head to the Auto Sleepers website to find out more about how the Truma CombiNeo water heating system works, it’s a very clever system. The leisure battery is an upgraded 100ah lithium system, which can keep things running for up to four days depending on what devices you operate. Even with three of us inside, we never felt like we were on top of each other. It’s true that the warmer weather opened up the living space under the awning, something you might not enjoy in colder weather, but we used it as intended and loved the living space. It’s an easy vehicle to drive, use and live in, so it’s full marks again!

We found dining in the Nuevo EK Plus to be a simple affair thanks to the spacious and fully equipped kitchen. There is plenty of space at the back of the vehicle, and lots of surfaces to work on, both static and slide-out. The dual fuel hob with three gas burners and an electric hot plate, oven and grill were easy to use. We used the cooker to make coffee with our oven-top espresso pot. The microwave oven is a nice inclusion, although we couldn’t work out how to get power to it - user error rather than vehicle error. Food is easily stored in cupboards and the large refrigerator with freezer compartment. The centre sink, draining board and cutlery drying rack are also conveniently placed and easy to use. Above the oven is a 12v extractor fan with down-lighters, which we didn’t need to use because the weather was nice enough to have the windows and main door open for ventilation. We ate outside under the awning during the day and inside the vehicle at the freestanding table at night. It’s very versatile and for two people you won’t be left wanting more dining space. Another full marks category.

Sleeping is a simple affair in the Nuevo EK Plus. You can configure the sleeping area into two single beds by flipping over the main seat cushions to use as mattresses, or you can slide the bed slats out on each side and use all the sofa cushions to create one giant double bed. I’m six foot tall, and you can see I had no troubles or requirements to sleep curled up. I had a comfortable night’s sleep stretched out across the body of the vehicle. The vehicle appears to be well insulated as I was warm all night without using the heating system. There’s little else to say except the vehicle earns full marks in this section.

The Nuevo EK Plus sits precisely where you’d expect a well-appointed motorhome to sit - around the £85-95k mark. Your money goes on the quality interior and the integrated technology. It represents good value for money, especially with the inclusion of the reliable Sargent electrical system and clever Truma CombiNeo water heating system, and should suit most people looking at investing in a proper two-berth home away from home. The price is good for the market, but is still a large sum of money. You can break it down on finance if preferred, so the options are there for you to decide on.

In a nutshell, the Nuevo EK Plus offers users a great kitchen and clever use of space inside, the clever Truma CombiNeo water heating system, the comforting and comfortable living space and the £90k OTR asking price is convincing for such a well-specced vehicle. That’s why you’d buy it. Auto Sleepers continues to hit it out of the park with the Nuevo range, and it knows it.